Discussion
I know you can secure better prices on the channel tunnel if you prebook. However I find it hard to believe that there would not be space available for at least one extra motorbike on most crossings, regardless of if you've booked or not, which set me thinking.
The tunnel advertise a return ticket (for stays of over 5 days) at £199 per car (no mention if bikes are discounted or not). When you book you have to pick a crossing date and time for the outgoing and the incoming journey but the ticket allows you to turn up late / arrive early and get on the next crossing (subject to space).
I emailed Eurotunnel and asked what would be the ticket price for a motorbike if you just turned up and paid there and then (appreciate you may have to wait around a bit but no doubt they could fit one more motorbike on to most crossings). Their reply was "up to £99". So £1 cheaper than the flexible booked ticket and you can turn up on any date (you have to stipulate a date / time on the booked ticket, although the time is flexible, I'm not sure the date is).
Anyway, has anyone just turned up at the channel tunnel crossing and bought a ticket there and then? How did it go? How much you were you charged? Was it £99 or a lesser amount? Did you have to wait around?
Eurotunnel seem to be a bit cagey on details of this as I appreciate they want everyone to prebook so they can guage demand etc but can't see this being absolutely necessary for bikes. I know you can get a booked crossing for as little as £22 but would prefer to not be tied to a time / date to allow total flexibility on touring about for a couple of weeks and avoid any rush / commitment to get to the port.
The tunnel advertise a return ticket (for stays of over 5 days) at £199 per car (no mention if bikes are discounted or not). When you book you have to pick a crossing date and time for the outgoing and the incoming journey but the ticket allows you to turn up late / arrive early and get on the next crossing (subject to space).
I emailed Eurotunnel and asked what would be the ticket price for a motorbike if you just turned up and paid there and then (appreciate you may have to wait around a bit but no doubt they could fit one more motorbike on to most crossings). Their reply was "up to £99". So £1 cheaper than the flexible booked ticket and you can turn up on any date (you have to stipulate a date / time on the booked ticket, although the time is flexible, I'm not sure the date is).
Anyway, has anyone just turned up at the channel tunnel crossing and bought a ticket there and then? How did it go? How much you were you charged? Was it £99 or a lesser amount? Did you have to wait around?
Eurotunnel seem to be a bit cagey on details of this as I appreciate they want everyone to prebook so they can guage demand etc but can't see this being absolutely necessary for bikes. I know you can get a booked crossing for as little as £22 but would prefer to not be tied to a time / date to allow total flexibility on touring about for a couple of weeks and avoid any rush / commitment to get to the port.
I can't comment on bikes, but I am a regular use of Eurotunnel. I always book in advance, but don't always manage to keep to the times, and have never had a problem or been asked to pay any more. I don't however tend to travel much at peak times or in the main holiday periods, so they may be a bit more strict then.
I also find that the French side is much more relaxed than the UK - so I don't think they'll be too worried if you're not on schedule.
I also find that the French side is much more relaxed than the UK - so I don't think they'll be too worried if you're not on schedule.
They're cagey because they can't give you a price. If you turn up and it's busy and their trains are almost full, they'll fleece you! If it's not busy, it'll still be more expensive than pre-book but a bit less painfull.
You can prebook around the dates you are thinking about and change it. If the price is more you'll pay the difference, chances are you won't have to pay anything BUT you need to let them know of your change of mind 48h in advance. that usually involve having to connect to thei website and enter your booking reference in the designated section of the site. Don't know if you can do it over the phone.
I would pre book if I were you, just a look on their site and a 5 day tickets cost £48 (june 16 to 20). One more day and you're out of the Short Stay Saver, the price goes up to £66.
Bear in mind you can turn up 4h either side of your scheduled time without extra charge.
I use them quite a bit
You can prebook around the dates you are thinking about and change it. If the price is more you'll pay the difference, chances are you won't have to pay anything BUT you need to let them know of your change of mind 48h in advance. that usually involve having to connect to thei website and enter your booking reference in the designated section of the site. Don't know if you can do it over the phone.
I would pre book if I were you, just a look on their site and a 5 day tickets cost £48 (june 16 to 20). One more day and you're out of the Short Stay Saver, the price goes up to £66.
Bear in mind you can turn up 4h either side of your scheduled time without extra charge.
I use them quite a bit
What I am concerned with that if I get a flexible ticket for £199 (return) and turned up say five days after the date I stipulated, they'd let me on?
Alternatively I turn up and buy a ticket there and then for "up to" £99, it'd be the same price / £1 cheaper (assuming £99 there and back) and there would be no issue over delay / validity / t&c's etc?
Can't see the advantages of booking in this situation.
Alternatively I turn up and buy a ticket there and then for "up to" £99, it'd be the same price / £1 cheaper (assuming £99 there and back) and there would be no issue over delay / validity / t&c's etc?
Can't see the advantages of booking in this situation.
Apologies - didn't see the other replies before my second post.
I will be staying for at least a week - maybe two. Plan is to book cheapest possible on way out then turn up at some point when coming home and pay on arrival (and expect to pay up to £99).
Is there a better way of soing this (with return date between 7 / 14 days after departure - not specified)?
I will be staying for at least a week - maybe two. Plan is to book cheapest possible on way out then turn up at some point when coming home and pay on arrival (and expect to pay up to £99).
Is there a better way of soing this (with return date between 7 / 14 days after departure - not specified)?
For my trip ultimately down to Greece in May, I've booked eurotunnel already. Giving specific dates it now allows you to book a 'single' in each direction. So for the dates I want to go out and return I've got both for £73.
In the past on the French side I've also had zero problem or required no extra money to move to earlier or later crossings back to the UK.
In the past on the French side I've also had zero problem or required no extra money to move to earlier or later crossings back to the UK.
I have tried the ‘just turn up’ approach in the car. I wanted to go on a Friday evening but I didn’t know if I would get away from work soon enough so didn’t book in advance. The web site on Thursday evening had the cost of a weekend return in the car as something like £75 (special offer). When I turned up at the gate they sent me in to the terminal to buy a ticket. Once at the terminal I was quoted £295!!!!!
When I said ‘no thanks, I’ll go on the ferry’ I was then informed that I couldn’t leave the site without an escort as it was a secure site and the security patrol was on the other side of the site. I’d have to wait! After a frustrating 20 minutes of being told that the security patrol was still on the other side of the site and that they had no idea when the patrol would return I eventually said I was leaving, with or without the escort, and if they wanted to call the police to arrest me then that was fine as the police could escort me off the site. The security patrol turned up about 30 seconds later and I was escorted off the site.
I then bought a ferry ticket for £60 return and had superb customer service from them.
When I said ‘no thanks, I’ll go on the ferry’ I was then informed that I couldn’t leave the site without an escort as it was a secure site and the security patrol was on the other side of the site. I’d have to wait! After a frustrating 20 minutes of being told that the security patrol was still on the other side of the site and that they had no idea when the patrol would return I eventually said I was leaving, with or without the escort, and if they wanted to call the police to arrest me then that was fine as the police could escort me off the site. The security patrol turned up about 30 seconds later and I was escorted off the site.
I then bought a ferry ticket for £60 return and had superb customer service from them.
s. Every 'experience' I've had with them has been painful, drawn out, unhelpful and expensive.I use Eurotunnel several times a year both for bike and car for the last 13 years. I've never had a single problem. Bike prices are typically less than £30 each way and car prices less than £50 each way - all booked using single tickets each time without knowing when I will return.
Service has always been very efficient and courteous.
Service has always been very efficient and courteous.
Silver993tt said:
I use Eurotunnel several times a year both for bike and car for the last 13 years. I've never had a single problem. Bike prices are typically less than £30 each way and car prices less than £50 each way - all booked using single tickets each time without knowing when I will return.
Service has always been very efficient and courteous.
+1 As has been my experience too.Service has always been very efficient and courteous.
sjtscott said:
Silver993tt said:
I use Eurotunnel several times a year both for bike and car for the last 13 years. I've never had a single problem. Bike prices are typically less than £30 each way and car prices less than £50 each way - all booked using single tickets each time without knowing when I will return.
Service has always been very efficient and courteous.
+1 As has been my experience too.Service has always been very efficient and courteous.
I’ve used the tunnel a number of times and they have always been fine apart from the situation mentioned above. However, in my experience, they are always noticeably more expensive than the ferry and are no where near as comfortable. I also find that if I plan a long journey on the continent then the tunnel is no quicker as I end up stopping sooner and for longer than I do if I’ve had a meal and relax on the ferry.
Quicker than any ferry.
Cheap if you book in advance.
Flexible if there is space.
I have used them loads of times on the bike and no issues. Bit like taking a train on a saver price, just turn up and it works. Last year, we arrived early and asked if we could get on the next train, it was £100; however they said that the next train would be £1 extra, or thereabouts.
I don't understand people would push their time, unless they breakdown or severely delayed, it just asks for something awful to happen
Cheap if you book in advance.
Flexible if there is space.
I have used them loads of times on the bike and no issues. Bit like taking a train on a saver price, just turn up and it works. Last year, we arrived early and asked if we could get on the next train, it was £100; however they said that the next train would be £1 extra, or thereabouts.
I don't understand people would push their time, unless they breakdown or severely delayed, it just asks for something awful to happen
Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff